Dealing with Alcohol Dependency
- This topic is empty.
- Posts
Mark62What's the best way to use PSTEC for addictions and dependency?
I have been drinking alcohol every evening for as long as I can remember – four bottles of lager usually followed by a vodka and coke.
This doesn't affect my everyday life, I have no desire to drink during the day and feel it is more like a “reward” (or perhaps escape) at the end of the day. I only drink at home with my first bottle of lager at 10.30pm when I sit down to watch TV.
Even though I want to stop drinking alcohol altogether, I'm finding it difficult to kick as it does feel pleasurable at the end of the evening – but it is all empty calories, not healthy and I'm feeling more and more aware that I am not setting a good example to my children.
I have the PSTEC Basic Tracks and PSTEC Level 1. I have tried using the basic tracks and the EEFs but am not quite sure if I am approaching the problem correctly.
I have clicked while thinking about the desire to have a drink and also on the fear of knowing I will never touch alcohol again but with limited success.
I'd be grateful for any guidance in the right direction.
ozThink of that point when you are going to sit down to watch tv and go to get your alcohol. Then think “No, I'm going to sit down without getting my alcohol”. You should get some resistance/negative feeling due to you not fulfilling your desires. You can click track that away. You could even do it at 10:25 when you are about to get your alcohol. Run the click track then.
You could also use a substitute. Get a bottle of water instead. You could use pstec positive with a statement like “I want to drink some water”. Also another statement you could use is “I like being sober”.
Peter BunyanHi Mark
You have realised you have a problem and have started to do something about it. Great because these are the first steps to getting past any habit.
Since it seems to be just a habit at present then I suggest Click Tracking with EEFs at 10.30 when you really feel like a beer, open bottle pour it, hear it smell it, place it in front of you, so can strongly feel that desire for that beer (do not drink it) and Click track that. Then pour it away down the drain. Do this every night for a week. This sounds tough so give your-self a non-food/drink reward. Work out how much money it costs each week for that amount of drink and at the end of the week buy something you fancy but never thought you had the money for or buy a non-food/drink treat for the kids/family something you can do together perhaps.
If you cannot break the habit this way then you are addicted and other measures might be required.
Does this sound do-able to you?Peter BunyanMark
If you can think of a suitable reward find a image/photo of it, photocopy it or print it out. Something visible to remind you what you are denying your self the booze for. Think! You are not giving up drinking you are gaining this (whatever it is) reward. Look at it before you get the beer out of the fridge and when you pour it away afterwards. Look at it every time you feel like a drink. Every time you look at it you are getting closer to achieving it and making it real. The first few sessions should be the hardest after that it will only get easier.
PeterMark62Thanks to Oz and Peter for your replies – they were very helpful.
Both of you mentioned clicktracking at the point when I would sit down with a beer and that sounds like a great place to start, catching it right at the source and hitting the feeling when it is probably strongest.
I'm certainly going to try this out – thanks again to you both.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.